Former guerilla fighter Mujica wins Uruguay's presidential election

A former leader of Leftist guerrilla fighter who once sought power through kidnappings and bombings is now the president-elect of Uruguay.

Jose Mujica: Mr Mujica, a farmer and former agriculture minister and senator, promised to continue investor-friendly policies that have helped the economy when he was elected in November.Photo: AFP

12:43AM GMT 30 Nov 2009

Jose Mujica, 74, who waged an armed revolt against a democratically elected government in the 1960s and 1970s and was jailed for 14 years, won more than 50 per cent of the vote in a run-off election on Sunday, according to exit polls by three leading pollsters.

This gives the centre-Left Broad Front coalition five more years in power. Many Uruguayans credit the coalition with lifting the country out of an economic slump earlier this decade and stoking growth this year in the face of the global slowdown.

Former President Luis A. Lacalle of the centre-Right National Party conceded defeat. He trailed with about 45 per cent of the votes, exit polls by Cifra, Factum and Equipos Mori said. The Electoral Court was expected to release official results late Sunday.

Mr Mujica, a farmer and former agriculture minister and senator, has promised to continue investor-friendly policies that have helped the economy in one of Latin America's most stable countries to expand for six straight years.

He campaigned praising Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Latin America's leading moderate Leftist, signalling he does not intend to bring Uruguay closer to more hard-line leaders like Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez.

The new president of Uruguay will take office on March 1 and serve a five-year term.

Mr Lacalle had raised questions about Mr Mujica's militant past, suggesting the former guerrilla fighter would be more radical than he seemed on the campaign trail.

But Mr Mujica said he will stay the course set by outgoing President Tabare Vazquez, Uruguay's first socialist leader. Mr Vazquez is barred from seeking a second consecutive term.

"It's going to be the same dog, but with a different collar," Mr Mujica said.